Microbiological Quality of Herbal Formulation Used for the Treatment of Typhoid Fever Sold in Makurdi Metropolis, Central Nigeria

Typhoid, dysentery and cholera. To investigate the microbiological quality of herbal formulations. Herbal formulations were purchased from four different markets (Wadata market, Wurukum market, Modern market, and North bank market) in Makurdi metropolis Microbiological analysis was carried out using pour plate isolation method. Identification of isolated microorganisms was based on their cultural, morphological, biochemical characteristics using standard microbiological procedures. Microbiological analyses showed that the total bacterial counts (TBC) of all the test herbal samples obtained from the various markets ranged from 1.8 x103 to 9.3x103 cfu/ml and the total fungal count in the herbal mixture had a range of 1.0x103 to 2.5x103, Four bacterial species were identified and they include; Bacillus spp, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Enterobacter spp. The least occurring bacterial isolates was Bacillus spp (12.5%), while the highest occurring was Staphylococcus aureus (37.5%). Four fungal isolates were identified and they include, Aspergillus niger, Penicillium spp, Scedosporium spp and Phialophora parasiticum. Aspergillus niger and Phialophora parasiticum were the least occurring fungal isolate (12.5%) while Scedosporium spp and Phialophora parasiticum were the most occurring fungal isolate (37.5%). Since applications of herbal medicines for curative purposes is on the increase, there is a need for risk assessment of microbial load of the medicinal plants at critical control points during processing. Furthermore, the danger associated with the potential toxicity of herbal therapies employed over a long period of time demand that the practitioners be kept abreast of the reported incidence of renal and hepatic toxicity resulting from the ingestion of medicinal herbs.